Today’s Natalie Portman’s birthday

The actress who played Queen Amidala in “Star Wars: Episode 1: The Phantom Menace” turns 33 today. That means she was only 17 when the movie opened.

She was already a veteran actor with appearances in “The Professional,” “Heat,” “Beautiful Girls” and “Mars Attacks!” Portman would go on to appear in “Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones” and “Star Wars III - Revenge of the Sith.”

Amidala’s contribution to the “Star Wars” universe is as the mother of Luke and Leia.

In an interview withNew York magazine, Portman said that after the three movies “everyone thought I was a horrible actress’ making it nearly impossible to find another part since ‘no director wanted to work with me.”